Ticket 2 Ride

I was shocked by the new Wilco album, Cousin. This is a band that reinvents itself occasionally, and their latest sound is impressive. I’ve stopped trying to label bands, it’s useless and generally inaccurate.

Scott Bauer of the Associated Press called this “a deeply layered, musically rich record” where “the soundscape is so thick it feels like an aural impressionist painting, with layer upon layer of music melded together to create a sonic image”. I tend to agree. If you enjoy XTC, Radiohead, their offshoot band, The Smile, or even those veteran noisemakers, Broken Social Scene, Cousin should grab your attention. It’s a return to their experimental approach, which I prefer to their alt. country detours.

My relationship with Wilco has been intermittent. Years ago, I found them the right amount of quirky and eclectic. Then I suddenly lost interest. A few years ago, Wilco released Schmilco, for which I never quite developed an attraction. Schmilco is not as eclectic and the songs just sound weaker to me. A couple of years ago, we reconciled and I have become a big fan of lead vocalist Jeff Tweedy’s side career as an author. I just finished his World Within a Song. I highly recommend it.

Before I get to Cousin, I have taken a deep dive into Wilco’s earlier albums and a healthy dose of their rare, unreleased, live and alternate versions of album tracks. A trip through Wilco’s vault is similar to obtaining unreleased gems of Bob Dylan, Tom Petty or Neil Young. That’s a pretty bold statement, though I’m not saying that Jeff Tweedy is on the same rarified level as those other three, but his level of output, mastery of different genres, depth and thoughtfulness of songwriting, and embrace of American roots music influences, does elevate Tweedy and Wilco’s recordings to a prominent place in alternative music.

If you want to get a really good cross-section of Wilco’s music, Alpha Mike Foxtrot: Rare Tracks 1994 – 2014, is a great choice. The fourth CD is particularly good.

Cousin instantly reminded me of Radiohead, not specifically, but by the adventurous musicianship and the sparse soundscape. I heard hooks and melodic strands, and when the CD was over, I needed to hear it again. I was intrigued; on the verge of liking it, but I needed another dose to be sure.

What’s instantly noticeable is how good the songs are. Interesting how the cover art represents the music inside. At first, the music seems a bit odd, the soundscape seems like a junkyard orchestra. You might imagine Tom Waits by that description, boozy, late night warbles, but it’s not. The music sounds like odd collective of instruments, avant-pop as some call it, layers of sound stacked just right.

For a change, Wilco enlists an outside producer, Cate Le Bon, who I’ve read, built the songs in layers, or maybe jigsaw puzzles. The result is quite accessible and beautiful in its raw flavors of electronic sounds and traditional rock instruments. Additional production by Jeff Tweedy and engineer Tom Schick.

“Infinite Surprise” is the lead-off track, and the longest on the album. It’s noisy, but sublime; a gentle cacophony.

“Levee” has very basic lyrics and a haunting, moody melody.

“Evicted” is one of the best songs, a mid-tempo, dreamy love-song. It’s a layered guitar song, something Tom Petty or Paul McCartney might have written.

“Sunlight Ends” is a quiet song that floats along on swirling, processed sounds and a drum machine.

The title track is a New Wave-ish, beat-heavy song that is interesting, but never really takes off. A missed opportunity.

“Pittsburgh” benefits from Le Bon’s juxtaposition of gentle acoustic guitar melody and harsh distorted electric guitar in the chorus. The middle combines various sound elements to delightful results. If haunting is the goal, they succeeded. “Soldier Child” is of the same vein, mixing in their country swagger.

The album ends with “Meant to Be,” a galloping, upbeat love-song. When this song concludes, you are already thinking of flipping the vinyl and giving the album another listen. High praise, indeed.

4.7/5